


This Is What Home Feels Like

by starprise_entership



Category: Star Trek: The Next Generation
Genre: F/M, Picard-based, mentions of Wesley Crusher
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-25
Updated: 2017-07-25
Packaged: 2018-12-06 20:44:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,000
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11608593
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/starprise_entership/pseuds/starprise_entership
Summary: After a mission on Starbase 43, Picard returns to the Enterprise after being away for three months.





	This Is What Home Feels Like

“Picard to Enterprise,” The Captain says, pausing before giving the next command. “One to beam up.” Taking a deep breath, he watches as the bright, grey interior of Starbase 43 disappear, and blends into the rusty, green interior of Teleporter Room 3.

“Welcome back, Captain.” Chief O’Brien stands at attention. “We’ve missed you.”

“At ease.” Picard dismisses, hoisting the strap of his luggage to balance steadily on his right shoulder. “Well, I’m glad to see that the old girl’s still in one piece.” He looks around, and the feeling of familiarity hits him again. The pressure of the metal floor underneath his boots is satisfying, and it was a small something he’d missed during his three-month mission away, among many things.

“Everyone’s waiting for you at Ten-Forward.” O’Brien speaks up again, cutting through Picard’s thoughts. Picard nods, and starts off. As he paces down the corridors, he knows everyone’s surprised to see him back as they glance at him out of the corner of their eyes, and he doesn’t mind. Seeing the fresh, familiar faces of the crew make him feel safe and at peace, and he can’t help but think that _this, yes, this is what home feels like_. 

* * *

  
After the ceremony, Picard feels relieved to have his ship back again, everything at his fingertips. He steps into his quarters, smiling as the lights dim to his personal setting. Suddenly, the lights brighten again and he raises an eyebrow, puzzled.

Shouts of ‘Happy Birthday!’ echo from down the hall, and Picard suppresses a yelp as his senior officers arrive at his door. Deanna holds the cheesecake, pushing it towards him with a warm grin. So they’ve remembered, Picard silently remarks, gladly, as Will leads the group in a round of song. Delighted, Picard blows out the candles as they finish and cheer.

“Do come in,” he invites, standing away from the door. He hides his initial glee, but he’s sure that they can tell, or at least Deanna can, even without looking at him. His heart, though mechanical, warms at the enthusiasm of his friends. At the core, he is happy - to put it simply, and grateful for this crew that he has come to consider more than friends, a family.

“Congratulations on another birthday, Captain.” Even Data enjoys himself, helping himself to the cake and engaging in light conversation, something Data had once told him that he had wanted to achieve. _He’s grown tremendously - no, everyone’s grown tremendously_ , he observes, remembering when everyone was younger and fresher almost a decade ago, when the Enterprise-D first took her first steps out of the dock and into the unknown.

“Captain!” Worf gets his attention, from across the room. “We have something for you.”

He walks over and pushes through the small crowd, and what he sees on the table before him delights him. A small wooden chest, filled with bits and pieces of ancient trinkets and pottery.

“It’s from Wesley, and all of us.” Beverly announces, a tinge of pride in her voice. “Some ancient artifacts from Earth, that he found on his travels.”

Picard steps closer and lifts a small brooch with a coat of arms from the box. Intrigued, he examines the brooch. “Eighteenth-century, I think, and from France.” Putting the brass object down, he fishes out a few scraps of old paper from the side of the chest. It’s quite a massive stack, and he sees that the cover page of the work has been scrubbed over, so hard that a hole had been torn through the cover. He smiles - it’s one of Beethoven’s old works, and he wonders why these artifacts haven’t been stored in some museum. The reason is rather obvious - some of these treasures have simply been lost in the turmoil of nuclear wars and natural disasters when global warming took its toll on his own native planet.

“He’s getting better at dimension hopping. He says he’d hopped back through time to get some of these.” Beverly says. “He only was here long enough to pass me these items before he went off, and I think he looked a bit disappointed that you weren’t here.”

“I should give him my thanks.” Picard says. He looks over the manuscript again, and reads the title. Beethoven’s Third, also titled ‘ _Eroica_ ’, or _hero_. He thinks back to the time he and Wesley were on Lambda Pez, before the young ensign left the Enterprise in the intention of furthering his education. Nodding, the significance of this particular artifact reaches him.

Looking up from his gift, and at the faces of his friends, he thanks them with gratitude for the celebration, and for their friendship. _This is what home feels like_ , he finds himself thinking again, as he raises his glass for a toast.

* * *

  
Beverly stays behind after everyone leaves. Spirits are still high, and he’s been looking forward to spend time with her alone.

“Finally.” Picard says, not with an air of finality but instead, expectation. “We haven’t been together for months.”

“I know,” Beverly returns, stepping forward to close the gap between them. Passion ensues - she leads him to the bedroom without much hesitation, eager to share in his closeness after not having been able to for longer than she’s used to.

“I’ve missed you.” Following along, he forces himself to relax, for the day is almost over. She goes a bit gentler on him, in the consideration that it’s his first day back and he would like to get some well-deserved rest, but it’s hard to keep your hands off someone whom you’ve desperately missed for ages, and it’s comforting in all its familiarity.

When everything comes to a stop for the night, he lies back and feels her curl into him, her head on his chest. Breathless yet blissful, he presses a soft kiss to Beverly’s hair. She’s on the brink of falling asleep, and he is too. Pulling her closer, he closes his eyes, thankful to be back.

_This is what home feels like._

 


End file.
